More West Virginia homeowners are looking at solar, and the rules they are looking at have changed. The old one-for-one net metering most articles still describe is gone for new customers, and the federal homeowner tax credit ended with 2025.

Solar can still make sense here. It just takes a clearer look at your utility, your property and how you use power. This is where to start.

The short version

  • Your utility sets your export rate. New Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power customers get 12.41 cents per kWh. Mon Power and Potomac Edison pay 9.343 cents per kWh through December 31, 2026.
  • There is no state solar tax credit, and the federal homeowner credit does not cover expenditures made after December 31, 2025.
  • Credits roll over, and the residential system cap is 25 kW.

Start with your electric bill

West Virginia has two sets of net metering rules, one for each parent company. The name on your bill tells you which one applies.

If it says Appalachian Power or Wheeling Power, read our Appalachian Power guide. If it says Mon Power or Potomac Edison, read our Mon Power and Potomac Edison guide.

Under either one, the power you use as it is produced simply reduces what you buy from the utility. Only the extra power you send to the grid earns the export credit, so how much of your production you use at home matters.

Then look at your property

Mountains and tree cover are the two things that make West Virginia different. A roof that looks fine from the driveway may be in shade for much of the day, and a neighbor's roof a few hundred feet away can be in full sun.

If your roof is shaded but you have open land, a ground-mounted system is worth asking about. If shade or your roof rules solar out, a good installer should tell you that plainly.

What we see across the state

More than 300 West Virginia customers have activated LightSkye systems, in communities including Charleston, Huntington, Princeton, Martinsburg, Beckley, Parkersburg, Fairmont and Morgantown. You can read what homeowners say about working with us.

Rules worth knowing before you sign

  • The program is set by West Virginia Code 24-2F-8 (HB 2201, 2015).
  • Residential customers must carry $100,000 in liability insurance.
  • West Virginia has few state incentives beyond net metering.
  • Customers already on 1:1 net metering keep those terms for 25 years, if they applied before their utility's cutoff.

We do not publish savings numbers in articles like this one because they depend on your usage, your property and your rate. A LightSkye solar specialist reviews your bill and your home and shows you what applies at your address.

Common questions

Does West Virginia have a solar tax credit?

No. West Virginia has no state solar tax credit, and few other state incentives.

Can I still get 1:1 net metering in West Virginia?

Not as a new customer. Appalachian Power applications submitted before March 1, 2026 and FirstEnergy applications made before 2025 keep 1:1 net metering for 25 years.

How large can a home solar system be in West Virginia?

The residential net metering cap is 25 kW.

Do unused net metering credits expire?

No. In West Virginia, credits roll over.

Sources

Facts checked November 7, 2026. Utility rules change, so confirm current terms with your utility before you sign anything.

LightSkye Energy is a licensed West Virginia solar installer (WV064496). See how solar works in West Virginia, or request a solar quote.